Northumbrian Water is calling for volunteers from across the region to help give pollution to watercourses.

Volunteers, over the age of 18, are being sought to sign up to the water company's Water Rangers scheme which will involve them walking along public access routes next to watercourses, once a week or once a fortnight.

There are 32 routes to choose from, which are between 210 metres and 1.2 kilometres long.

After doing their walk, Water Rangers will report on the condition of the river, stream, beck, burn or bathing water within their route, to Northumbrian Water, so that any potential pollution can be dealt with quickly.

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Volunteers from across the region are needed to help monitor pollution and improve water quality in rivers, streams, becks, burns and bathing waters.

Northumbrian Water is launching a Water Rangers scheme which will involve them walking along public access routes next to watercourses, once a week or once a fortnight.

There are 32 routes to choose from, which are between 210 metres and 1.2 kilometres long.

After doing their walk, Water Rangers will report on the condition of the river, stream, beck, burn or bathing water within their route, to Northumbrian Water, so that any potential pollution can be dealt with quickly.

Those who sign up will receive thorough training, a reward to reflect an annual reduction on their annual water and sewerage bill and other thank you incentives, including an invitation to an annual celebration dinner.

Northumbrian Water's Wastewater Director, Richard Warneford, said: "Our Water Rangers scheme reflects our commitment to looking after the environment and this initiative is a creative, healthy and fun way to encourage our customers and local communities to help us to do this."

11,000 properties in North Shields are set to benefit from an £800,000 upgrade to their water mains. The first phase of work will start in the Billy Mill, New York and West Monkseaton areas of North Shields is to start on January 6.

Northumbrian Water will install new water mains in the Billy Mill Lane area which will allow the Moorhouses pumping station to be abandoned.

The initial work is expected to take about six weeks and will require temporary traffic lights on Billy Mill Lane and Selkirk Way from January 6 to January 20.

“We are committed to providing safe, clean drinking water for all our customers. The Moorhouses pumping station has come to the end of its working life, and although we appreciate there may be some inconvenience to customers in the short term, this work is essential to maintain and improve the future water supply for thousands of people in the North Shields area. “We are working closely with North Tyneside Council to reduce the impact of the work and will do our best to minimise any inconvenience to our customers.”

– Franc Kurowski, Northumbrian Water

Nobody from Northumbrian Water or its contractors will need access to homes in the area while the work is being carried out.

Northumbrian Water has outlined price increases for this year meaning that the average bill for 2013-2014, which comes into effect from April, will be £359.42p. The increase of 2.2% is in line with inflation the average bill in 2012-2013 was £351.61p.